Method and apparatus for holding an assembly for mounting on structural parts

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for holding of assembly that can be mounted on structural parts, particularly of a radiator module on the body of motor vehicles. Connecting elements used for holding the assembly are constructed to be guided to the structural part while interacting in a self-locking manner with the structural part.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for holding an assemblythat can be mounted on structural parts, particularly for mounting aradiator module on the body of a motor vehicle.

For mounting an assembly on structural parts, numerous types ofconnecting elements are known which act between the above-mentioneddevices. Thus, for example, European Patent Document EP-B-0 226 914shows and describes a radiator fastening system in a motor vehicle inwhich supporting brackets extending under the radiator or the radiatormodule are used as connecting elements of the support holding devicewith respect to the body of the motor vehicle. These supporting bracketsare of a type which must be arranged separately on the vehicle bodybefore the installation of the radiator module. Only then may theradiator module be arranged by means of elastic elements on thesupporting brackets for installation in the vehicle body. This knownarrangement for the mounting of an assembly, particularly of a radiatormodule, on the body of motor vehicles, is costly.

Furthermore, this known arrangement is not suitable for a productionprocess in which assemblies or assembly groups for the connection withthe body of a motor vehicle are guided automatically to the vehicle bodyby way of mounting frames or mounting assembly carriers, as shown forexample in the German Patent Document DE-A-39 06 616 or the EuropeanPatent Document EP-B-0 226 914.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for,therefore, mounting an assembly on structural parts by means of aconnecting element, with the latter being guided in the mountingdirection of the assembly (relative to the respective structural part)and being connected with the structural part for its arrangement.

By means of the self-locking arrangement of the connecting elementsaccording to the invention a simple mounting is achieved which appliesparticularly advantageously to connecting elements connected with theassembly. Furthermore, the method and apparatus according to theinvention impose no limitation with respect to the mounting direction.In a first advantageous embodiment of the invention, guides, which arearranged on structural parts, interact with the connecting elements.These guides are advantageously used for-the moving the assembly intoits final installed position, in which it is secured by the self-lockingof the connecting elements with the guides. The combination of theconnecting element, the guide and the self-locking is particularlyadvantageous for a mounting of assemblies carried out by robots.

A connecting element, which is particularly well suited for automaticmounting, has a self-locking supporting bracket which interacts withstructure-side guides in the form of flanges. The supporting bracket isdesigned as a one-piece plastic preform, and is equipped with tongueswhich by means of detent noses elastically act on both sides of aflange. The detent noses engage in a through opening of the flange, withthe detent noses and the through opening each having detent surfacesarranged transversely to the mounting and loading direction. Thecombination of the tongues, which elastically act upon each flange, withthe detent surfaces arranged as described above, advantageously resultsin a self-locking arrangement the effect of which increases as the loadrises.

In addition, the supporting bracket, for automatic mounting (preferablyon a vehicle body), is equipped with a centering device oriented on thevehicle body side which assists in positioning, and an inserting hornfor the structure-side or body-side flanges which, in addition, aregripped by guide slots arranged next to the tongues on the supportingbracket. The combination of the centering device and the guide slotsprovides an additional rotational securing of the supporting bracketsrelative to the flanges, so that a minimum of apparatus is achieved forthe perfect positioning of each console on the vehicle body. Finally, bymeans of the central arrangement of one detent nose of one tonguebetween two detent noses of the oppositely arranged tongue engaging fromboth sides in the through opening of the flange, a division is achievedwhich advantageously results in a uniform introduction of force into thesupporting bracket.

The supporting bracket according to a further embodiment of theinvention is preferably used for the holding a radiator module on thebody of a motor vehicle. In a process according to the invention for theinstallation of the radiator module, the self-locking radiatorsupporting brackets, together with the radiator module, are insertedalong a straight path from below into the body of the motor vehicle orare moved in by means of a mounting assembly carrier. Several assembliesmay be arranged on the mounting assembly carrier, in which case theradiator module is positioned in its installed position, connected by aconnecting hose to a drive assembly arranged on the mounting carrier.Thus, separate devices for fixing the installed position of the radiatormodule during the installation are eliminated.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an arrangement for the direct holding of a radiatormodule in its development as a self-centering radiator console; and

FIG. 2 is a view of the use of the self-centering radiator supportingbracket in a mounting process with a radiator module which can beentered into the body of a motor vehicle from the direction of theunderside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, an arrangement 1 for the holding of a radiatormodule or console 4 which can be mounted on a body 2 of a motor vehicle3 (FIG. 2), comprises a supporting bracket 5 which serves as aconnecting element with respect to the vehicle body 2. In addition, thearrangement 1 comprises a guide, which projects downward on the vehiclebody 2, parallel to the assembly mounting direction (arrow "A"), theguide being designed as a flange 6 with a through opening 7. Thesupporting bracket 5, which is constructed as a one-piece plasticpreform, has correspondingly spaced tongues 8, 9 to receive the flange5. The tongues rest elastically against the flange 6 and have detentnoses 10, 11 which automatically engage in the through opening 7thereof. The detent noses 10, 11 and the boundary of the through opening7 of the flange 6 facing the detent noses each have detent surfacesarranged transversely to the mounting direction according to the arrow"A". Thus, a self-locking radiator console 6 is created in which thedetent effect of the detent noses 10, 11 increases automatically withthe rising load by the radiator module 4 in a direction which isopposite to the mounting direction according to arrow "A".

Guide slots (not shown) are arranged in the supporting brackets 5adjacent to the tongues 8, 9 on both sides and reaching around the edgeareas 12, 13 of the bracket 6 (FIG. 2). An inserting horn 14 for thebracket 5 in the console 4 is assigned jointly to the guide slots and tothe tongues 8, 9. In the console 4, the inserting horn 14 is arrangedbetween a stop face 15 used for resting against the vehicle body 2 andhas a centering device 16 oriented on the body side, and a supportingsurface 17 used for supporting the radiator module 4. The radiatormodule 4 acts upon the supporting surface 17 by way of a rubber-elasticbuffer 18.

For achieving a uniform introduction of force into the console, it isprovided that one of the tongues 8, 9 of the console 5 has detent noses10 which are spaced according to the width of the through opening 7 inthe bracket 6, and that another detent nose 11 of the other tongue 9 isarranged to be engaging in the through opening between the detent noses10. Finally, the two tongues 8, 9 may have sections 19, which extendbeyond the detent noses 10, 11 and are used for the opening engagementof the self-locking mechanism for removal of the radiator module 4.

A mounting assembly carrier 20 illustrated in FIG. 2 is equipped withtwo mounting racks 21 on which two supporting brackets 5 are locatedwhich reach under the radiator module 4 in its exterior areas. Eachsupporting bracket 5 has connector sockets 22 on its underside whichfrictionally engages with corresponding connector pins on each mountingrack 21 to hold the supporting bracket in position. Subsequently, theradiator module 4, by way of the buffers 18, is placed on the supportingsurface areas 17 of the consoles 4. Furthermore, a liquid-cooled driveassembly 23 is arranged on the mounting assembly carrier 20 adjacent tothe radiator module 4, to which radiator module is connected at least bymeans of one connecting hose. The radiator module 4 is positioned bythis connecting hose relative to the drive assembly 23 and is thereforefixed in its installed position. The radiator module 4 and the driveassembly 23 are then moved in a straight line from below into thevehicle body 2 by means of the mounting assembly carrier 20. In thefinal stage of the insertion from below, the supporting brackets 5 forholding the radiator module 4 are positioned with respect to the vehiclebody 2 by means of the centering devices 16, and are locked in on theflange 6 which freely project downward on the vehicle body 2, by way ofdetent noses 10, 11 of the tongues 8, 9 which automatically engage inthe through openings 7 of the flanges 6.

The self-locking radiator supporting bracket 5 described in FIG. 1,together with the radiator module 4 which can be inserted into a body 2of a motor vehicle in a straight line, results in a simple, preferablyautomatic mounting of the radiator module 4. Low mounting costs are inthis case achieved by, among others, the fact that the preparatorymounting measures consist only of positioning the two supportingbrackets 5 on the mounting racks 21 and placing radiator module 4 on thesupporting brackets 5, the installed position of the radiator module 4is thus achieved by means of a connecting hose of the cooling system ofthe drive assembly 23, without any additional measures.

Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible to arrange onlythe supporting brackets 5 from below on the flanges 6 of the vehiclebody 2 in a self-locking manner and then arrange the radiator module 4,for example, from above or laterally from above in the vehicle body onthe supporting brackets 5. However, the invention is not limited to astanding arrangement of the radiator module; it is also suitable for asuspended arrangement of the radiator module. While the above-mentionedarrangements essentially apply to vertical mounting directions of theradiator module 4, the invention finally also includes such arrangementsof the radiator module 4 in which horizontal mounting directions areimportant.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, itis to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration andexample, and is not to be taken by way of limitation. The spirit andscope of the present invention are to be limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

We claim:
 1. Process for mounting a first assembly to a second assemblyby means of an arrangement of the type comprising:at least oneconnecting element, said connecting element having structure forreceiving and holding said first assembly, and structure forinterlockingly coupling with said second assembly; and structure forguiding said at least one connecting element along a direction that isparallel with a mounting direction of said first assembly, into aninterlock position relative to said second assembly; said structure forinterlockingly coupling being adapted to interact with said secondassembly in a self locking manner, upon movement of said at least oneconnecting element along said direction that is parallel with saidmounting direction, into said interlock position; wherein said firstassembly is a radiator module and said second assembly is a motorvehicle body, and where said radiator module enters into said vehiclebody from an underside thereof; said process comprising the steps of:positioning two supporting brackets on a mounting assembly carrier;positioning said radiator module in an installation position onsupporting surfaces of said supporting brackets; inserting said radiatormodule into said vehicle body along a straight path, by means of themounting assembly carrier, said supporting brackets being positionedrelative to the vehicle body by way of centering devices; and thesupporting brackets being locked on flanges by detent noses, whichautomatically engage with through openings when said supporting bracketreaches a mounting position.
 2. Process according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of said radiator modules and supporting brackets arepositioned on said mounting assembly carrier, each of said radiatormodules being connected to a liquid cooled assembly, also arranged onsaid mounting assembly carrier, with said radiator module beingpositioned by a connecting hose relative to a drive assembly carrier andthus fixed in an installation position.
 3. An arrangement for mounting aradiator module on a motor vehicle body by way of relative movement ofthe radiator module and vehicle body in a substantially linear mountingdirection, said arrangement comprising:at least one body vehicle sideflange including at least one through opening, said side flangeextending essentially transversely of the mounting direction, and atleast one radiator module support bracket having spaced tongues guidedalong opposite transverse sides of the vehicle side flange duringmounting movement in the mounting direction, said tongues beingconfigured to rest elastically against the respective vehicle sideflange and including detent noses which self lockingly engage in aspaced relationship within the vehicle side flange through opening. 4.An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of said vehicleside flanges are provided for interengagement with a correspondingplurality of support brackets of the radiator module.
 5. An arrangementaccording to claim 3, wherein the at least one support bracket isconfigured as a separate one-piece plastic preform which alsoincludes:an inserting horn assigned to respective guide slots andtongues of the support bracket, and a centering part disposedtransversely of the inserting horn for centering the support bracket ata countercentering part of the vehicle body.
 6. An arrangement accordingto claim 5, wherein the support bracket includes a stop surfaceabuttingly engageable with a counter stop surface at the vehicle bodyside for limiting movement in the mounting direction.
 7. The arrangementaccording to claim 4, wherein the support bracket includes a stopsurface abuttingly engageable with a counter stop surface at the vehiclebody side for limiting movement in the mounting direction.
 8. Thearrangement according to claim 4, wherein the support bracket includes astop surface abuttingly engageable with a counter stop surface at thevehicle body side for limiting movement in the mounting direction. 9.The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said at least one supportbracket spaced tongues includes first tongues with detent noses spacedcorresponding to a clear width of the transverse hole and a secondtongue with a detent nose disposed between the detent noses of the firsttongue.
 10. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the tongueshave extending sections for accommodating unlocking of the mountingarrangement.
 11. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein thetongues have extending sections for accommodating unlocking of themounting arrangement.
 12. An arrangement according to claim 10, whereina plurality of said vehicle side flanges are provided forinterengagement with a corresponding plurality of support brackets ofthe radiator module.